JellalXErza The Ghost of a Promise
by The-pasta-alchemist
Summary: "There may come a day when we have to say goodbye, for good But even if I lose myself once more, I want to continue to walk by your side I want to always come back to you, somehow, someway That's one thing I'd like to never change."
1. Chapter 1 The dream

Chapter one: Promise

A small girl, no more than twelve years old, sat in the corner of a large, prison-like cell. She was skinny, scarred and dirty. A white patch covered the left side of her face, where her eye had been torn out. She wore a dirty, grey, sleeveless dress that was ripped at the edges, and fell just above her knee. Her short hair was tangled, and was a bright scarlet color.

The cell itself had grey walls and a dirt floor. The bars at the entrance were rusted and black. Two guards with spear-like weapons stood on each side of the cell, watching everyone from the outside. There were others in the cell- it was fairly large. People of all ages were sleeping, whispering and crying all around her. But she sat alone, isolated from everyone, as she sat looking out of the barred window in the corner.

The girl wrapped her arms around her knees as she closed her eye, remembering how the other had been ripped off of her face by a higher-up official. And for what? Stopping her work for a moment to catch her breath! The girl sighed and mumbled, "Is there any freedom in this world? Will I ever leave this place? I don't even remember my own family…I've been working here as a slave for long as I can remember." A small breeze crept through the barred window and moved her short red hair out of the left side of her face, revealing the patch where her eye had been. She lifted her head, and looked out the window. _The sky is so blue and big…I'm envious of the birds._ _They must feel free all of the time!_

"Hello!"

The girl turned away from the window to see a boy, about her age standing before her. He wore a torn, grey shirt and green shorts. He was barefoot, and was just a little taller than her. His hair was a bright blue color, and a strange red tattoo covered one side of his face. His eyes were a golden-hazel color that shone brightly, even though it seemed as if the boy himself was scarred and had been beaten.

She looked up at him, thinking, _who is this kid? And how can he be smiling in a place like this? _

He bent down so he was face-to-face with her, and smiled, the breeze from the window blowing his blue hair to one side. "Maybe you've seen me around…I've sure seen you! I was the one stopped them when they took your eye…I'm sorry I couldn't do anything else sooner…" He looked down; the smile on his face had suddenly turned to an expression of guilt.

_He came here to apologize?_

The girl's eyes widened, "Oh no I didn't expect anyone to do anything…I-I was surprised they didn't kill you for trying to interfere…But thank you…" She looked down shyly.

The boy nodded and held out his hand. "I'm Jellal. Jellal Fernandes."

The girl looked up, slightly surprised. Honestly, she didn't really know what else to do. She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. She got up and stumbled forward, probably because she had been sitting for so long, but he grabbed her arm before she could fall over.

"You're a little clumsy, aren't you?" Jellal chuckled as he let go of her arm. The girl said nothing and straightened herself out.

_That was embarrassing… _

"So what's your name?"

"Erza. Just plain Erza." The girl said softly as she looked back at him.

"No last name? That's a bit sad…" said Jellal. "Oh! Your hair is so pretty! Scarlet! That's what we'll call you! Erza** Scarlet**!" He reached out and touched her hair. Erza flinched a bit and took a step backwards, surprised.

_This random kid is giving me a name? Who does he think he is? I barley even know him! _

"Scarlet…The color of your hair! That way, I'll never forget!" Jellal smiled and then said, "So what do you think? I think it fits perfectly!"

_Scarlet… Sounds right. _

Erza nodded, "Um…yeah! It sounds good."

Jellal then pointed towards the window, where two birds were flying in the crystal blue sky. "You see that? We'll be like them some day- free and happy without anyone telling us what to do. One day we'll both be free together**. **We'll leave this place and never look back!** I promise!**"

He looked back at her with a fearless, hopeful expression and a big grin on his face. And for the first time in long while, Erza smiled back too.

_**Jellal.**_

_**At first glance, I thought he was an unkempt, scrawny, foolish boy.**_

_**But I will never forget what he said to me that day.**_

_**I will never forget the look he gave me when he said those words.**_

_**There was fire in those golden eyes that burned into my heart.**_

_**To this day, I can still feel it.**_

_**And when I do, I can't stop the tears from flowing.**_

_**Because knowing that he never kept his promise, **_

_**Is the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. **_


	2. Chapter 2 The voice in the wind

Chapter two- A voice in the wind

The moon shone in through the window of a small apartment, bathing most of the bedroom in a bright, milky light. A small gust of wind followed the light, blowing the short curtains above the open window and making a faint, whistling sound. Next to the window was a medium sized bed, and in it, Erza was sleeping soundly, her long scarlet hair was clearly visible even in the darkness. It was the dead of night; the only thing that moved was the grey clouds across the sky.

Footsteps.

Erza slowly opened her eyes, squinting at first and reluctantly sitting up in her bed. The moonlight was right in her face, and it took a few seconds for her to get used to it. It was strange for anyone to be up walking the streets at this hour…She didn't know what it was, but her gut feeling was telling her that something was wrong. The wind whistled, _**Go…**_

Erza paid little to no attention to the bothersome breeze, but the footsteps were a different story.

"It must be four in the morning…even the bars are closed and everyone in Fairy tail- even the night owls- go home around 1'oclock…" She grumbled. Erza, who was usually very attentive and alert, was surprisingly grumpy for being woken up on this night.

That's right, it was her dream- and one of the best one's she had in a while. But it wasn't really a dream; it was more like a memory. Something that happened almost exactly seven years ago- or fourteen years for everyone who didn't enter the S-class exams. It was when Jellal had given her "Scarlet" as her last name. His young, fearless face, the look in his eyes…It was one of her fondest memories actually, and she remembered it like it happened yesterday. It's funny really, something like that.

_**Go…**_

Erza continued to hear the footsteps outside the window, along with a woman's voice. She couldn't make out what was being said, but she could tell that whoever it was, was speaking to someone else. Erza re-equipped into her regular armor out of habit and peered out the window, scanning the area.

There.

About a half of a block down, three shadowy figures stood, and they were talking to each other, although Erza couldn't make out anything they were saying. The one talking was defiantly a woman, but she wasn't sure about the other two. Erza waited for the wind to die down and listened, barley breathing. There was something fishy going on, and she was very suspicious. And heck, if anyone could beat up bad guys, it was Erza.

She lifted her hair, put it behind her ears, and stood still.

The words the mysterious woman was saying sounded like complete gibberish. It was impossible. Erza sighed, and thought to herself_, I better go and confront them; I don't want any more trouble going around town, or anyone threating the guild. _

_**Listen…**_

Then she heard it.

"_**Fairy Tail." **_

At the name of her guild, Erza immediately through off her blankets, jumped out of bed and headed for the door.

"Three mysterious people out in the middle of the night talking about Fairy Tail…That can't be good. That didn't sound like any familiar voice to me either. "Erza said to herself as she unlocked the door to her apartment and walked out into the hallway, which was only lit by a few lacrima crystals that scattered the walls.

She quickly headed downstairs, trying the best she could not to wake anyone else. She did live in the Girls dorm of Fairy Tail after all, and she knew that if she woke up anyone from their beauty sleep there would be trouble. It was hard though, her armor and boots were clanking against anything they touched, including the stairs and her own body.

"Damn…I have to quiet..." Still running down the stairs (her room was on the 7th floor), she was trying to think of any armor that was remotely quiet.

Flame empress armor? Nope.

Flight armor? No way.

Heavens wheel armor? Defiantly not.

Her only option was to change back into her night gown.

Erza quickly re-equipped before opening the front door and stepping outside, as quiet as a mouse.

The town was dark, and all the shops and markets were closed. The sidewalk was a neatly paved, but the streets were made of shadowy, bumpy cobblestone bricks. Houses and stores lined the streets, and not one light could be seen in any of the windows. The moon still was high in the sky, reflecting across the nearby sea.

Erza crept behind a fruit cart and silently moved closer and closer to the unknown group of people. The voices were getting clearer now.

_**Listen… **_

"It's probably in that direction, since the girls dorm is just a few doors down. We better get moving before someone starts the notice we've been standing here. If anyone sees us we'll be taken by the council again."

It was the woman's voice again. It sounded vaguely familiar…but no one in particular that she could recall.

_Taken by the council again… Are they criminals? _

Still unable to see their faces, the three unknown people began walking further down the street, in the direction of Fairy Tail.

Erza was just about to step out of her cover when she heard a voice._** His**_ voice. The voice of the man who befriended her, betrayed her, saved her life and given her a name.

**Jellal. **

He turned around and looked up at the sky, where a million little stars twinkled in the bed of dark blue. The moonlight was now directly on his face, and Erza could see his golden eyes, his blue hair and red tattoo. She felt tears welling up in her own eyes as she began to tremble. _I-I thought he was dead!_

Jellal looked down at the ground; his face showed mixed emotions- love, worry, nervousness and relief.

"_**Erza…I've waited…**_

_**so long..."**_


	3. Chapter 3 Unmasked

**Sorry for the wait! It's been nearly two and a half weeks, hasn't it? Sorry, I've been really busy with things! I don't think this chapter isn't as good as the other two but I hope you all like it! Simon will most likely show up in the next chapter! **

**Thank you to all reading and following my story!**

**Please leave a review! Thanks! **

Chapter three- Unmasked

"_**Erza…I've waited…**_

_**so long..." **_

Jellal stared up at the stars as the moonlight reflected off his golden eyes, making them shine even more than they already did. He sighed and then looked down at the palm of his hand, revealing a silver locket; the same one Erza had given him. She recalled how she found it in the rubble when they were kids working at the tower of heaven. An official must have dropped it, and too scared to give it back she gave it to him instead- she had no idea he'd kept it this long!

Erza was frozen, she couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe he was in front of her, and that he was alive! The man who had been sentenced to death by the magic council seven years ago was before her eyes! Tears streamed down her face at the sight of him- Erza was a tough and strong woman, but if anyone could get her emotional, it was Jellal.

But what was he here for? According to the mysterious woman that was with him, they were looking for Fairy Tail…But for what? A visit? Yes, because randomly showing up at your friends guild after seven years is _**totally normal**_. To join maybe? Of Corse, because a wanted criminal joining an official guild an endangering the lives of its members is _**completely genius**_. Erza had no idea why they were here.

She crept forward, nearly coming out from behind the fruit cart, trying to get a good look at him. It had been seven years- she wanted to know if he had changed appearance at all. Not that it really mattered to her, she was just curious. But, only his face was lit by the lacrima lamppost's that lined the streets of Magnolia town.

"Jellal-san! Let's get moving, the sun is going to rise any minute!" One of the women half-whispered-half-yelled from a good forty feet in front of him. Jellal nodded and began walking towards them, a faint smile on his face. Erza hadn't seen him smile since he was taken by the council…when he remembered how he named her right before he was sentenced to death.

_Shoot! That's right- when I last saw him, Jellal had lost nearly all of his memories! He could only remember a select few…_

Well this changed things…Erza hoped that in the seven years she was gone, he had regained at least some more memories…

But that woman's voice….she knew it from somewhere, but she couldn't put a finger on it.

_I better keep following them…but damn I must look like a stalker…Now I know how Juvia feels…_

Erza quietly followed Jellal and the two other people, trying to keep herself as hidden as possible.

She recognized the route they were taking- it was the same one she took to get to the guild.

_So they are going to Fairy Tail after all…_

The sun had just started to rise, sending small beams of orange and pink across the land. The moon had slowly begun to fade away, and the stars looked like nothing more than little white dots in the early morning sky.

Erza hadn't watched the sunrise in the longest time; and she knew that this day was sure to be an interesting one.

Erza followed the three of them until sure enough- they arrived at the guild. She could now see that the two women that Jellal was traveling with were Ultear…and was that Meredy? She looked about eighteen or nineteen years old, and her hair had gotten longer. She was taller too, but not quite as tall as Erza. She was wearing a dark colored dress with a ruffled trim around the neckline, a belt tied around her waist and dark colored stockings. Her wavy pink hair was tied up in a high ponytail, and reached the middle of her back.

_She's changed!_

Ultear stood beside her; the ice-make mage looked like she had barley aged at all. She was pretty much still the same; the only difference was her clothes. She now wore a black body suit and a cape with tall boots and in her hair was two ribbons attached to a head band. Erza guessed that she was able to use her time-arc to keep from aging- she still looked like she was about twenty or so years old.

_Lucky! She'll probably be young and beautiful forever…_

But Erza could only wonder what the two of them were doing there…the last time she saw them they were part of Grimoire Heart on Tenrou Island…She remembered Gray had told her how Ultear was separated from her mother as a child, and as a result of that and many other horrible actions against her, she became evil. But after realizing the truth behind her abandonment, she had started to become a better person… Erza could only hope she wasn't just pretending to be good, and was trying to destroy Fairy Tail as revenge for Grimoire Heart. She still didn't fully trust her.

Jellal on the other hand, looked like he had aged a tiny bit. His face looked a little older, but not really by much. He now wore a long black coat decorated by golden trimming, and loose grey pants held up by a belt and tucked inside his boots. He too had gotten taller.

"Wow this place looks beat up..no wonder it has such a bad reputation- they really need to do some home improvement on this place!" Said Meredy as she looked at the guild building with a bit of a disappointed face. True, seven years had done some financial damage to the guild, and they were forced to move headquarters into a small, run-down tavern. Apparently Fairy Tail had lost its famous title in the seven years the core members went missing.

Jellal placed his hand on top of Meredy's head and ruffled her hair. "Be nice, Fairy Tail is a welcoming guild, you should be thankful for that. I highly doubt seven years has done any damage to their hearts."

Meredy squeaked and jumped away, franticly trying to fix her hair. "Jellal-kun don't do that! Girls hate it when you mess up their hair! Make sure you don't do that to Erza!" The Maguilty Sense mage gave the older man a playful light punch on his arm. Jellal chuckled, "Don't worry, I won't. I know better than to do that to Erza."

Ultear turned to the two of them and raised an eyebrow. "We should wait out here until someone shows up, I don't think anyone's inside the guild at this hour." She said as she sat down on a tree stump in front of the Fairy Tail entrance.

_Should I come out? I don't want to scare them…And I don't have the key to the guild._

Erza sighed softly and leaned against the large barrel she was hiding behind. She closed her eyes and thought to herself, _I'll just wait for the master to come; he's going to be the one to deal with them. I'll keep watch in case anyone recognizes them. I'm not letting Jellal get taken from me again…_

Part of her just wanted to jump out and hung him, cry and tell her how much she worried about him. She wanted to tell him that she was sorry for letting them take him away, because she could have done something and blamed herself for his arrest. She wanted to tell him that she heard his voice on the island, and how it gave her strength and hope to save her friends.

And she wanted to talk to him. She wanted to know if he remembered anything before the Oración Seis incident. She wanted ask him how he got out of jail, and why the magic council did not execute him. She had a million questions racing through her mind…but that would have to wait until later.

"_Jellal…I'm so happy I can see your face again…"_


	4. Chapter 4 Memory and note

Chapter four- Memory and note

"Erza-san…!"

"Erzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Oi! Erza! Wake up!"

Erza slowly open her eyes, the sunlight right in her face. She shook her head and blinked, trying to focus. Her back hurt, and she was propped up against a barrel in the middle of the side walk.

Wendy, Lucy and Natsu were looking down at her with confused looks. Erza suddenly jerked awake when she saw her friends standing before her and straightened out.

"Erza…any reason you're still in your nightgown?" Said Wendy as she scratched the back of her head and sweat-dropped. The twelve-year-old dragon slayer was wearing her usual blue and yellow dress with a white bow. On her upper arms were wristbands that looked like small white wings, and on her feet were sandals.

_I must have fallen asleep while waiting for the master to come…And I'm still in my night-gown! I wonder how many people have passed by me wondering what the hell I was doing or if I was drunk…CRAP. _

"And why are you in the middle of the street? Did you get beat up? Were there bad guys? Should I beat somebody up for you? Where are they? I'll fight anyone who hurts Erza! Come on out you cowards!" Natsu turned his head around every-which way, looking for someone to jump out. Small flames burst from his mouth as he pounded his fists together. The over-excited mage jumped and blew small flames into the air.

_Great Natsu…way to start drawing more attention to us. _

"Natsu! Calm down already! Do you really think she was beaten? This is Erza we're talking about! I'm sure she has a good explanation." Said Lucy sternly as she grabbed her troublesome friend's arm and pulled him away from a random civilian he was challenging.

Erza's eyes suddenly widened as she remembered what she had been doing the night before.

_Jellal! Where is he? _

She jumped up and scanned the area, searching for him, Meredy and Ultear. They had been in front of the guild before, but now she couldn't see any sign of them.

Erza was panicking. She should have greeted them last night, when she had the chance. She could have waited with them. But now they were gone.

_They couldn't have gone far…and besides, they were looking for Fairy tail. Why would they just leave like that after going through the trouble to come all this way? _

_They __**had **__to be somewhere. _

"Erza-san…you look troubled…" Wendy tilted her head to one side and blinked. Erza shook her head "Don't worry about me Wendy, I'm ok, just a little dazed that's all." The S-class mage rose to her feet and re-equipped into her usual armor, dusting herself off.

Then she saw him.

Out of the corner of her eye, in the alleyway across the street in between a building and a thrift shop.

It was Simon.

No.

It couldn't be.

It was_** impossible**_.

Erza stood, frozen as she looked from the other side of the street back at him. Simon was dead. There was no way he could be here. There was no way that was really him. He had died seven years ago, defending her from Jellal in the tower of heaven. She had seen him die with her own eyes.

Simon waved at her and smiled, still standing in the same place. Erza felt tears well up in her eyes- she didn't know what else to do but run towards him.

"_Simon!"_

She ran across the street, her armor clanking against her as she called his name. Honestly, she didn't know if she was hallucinating or not, but why take the chance? Did he somehow survive after all? Erza's mind was spinning.

She reached the other side of the street, and ran to where she saw him.

"Simon! Is that you?"

…

No one was there. Erza was standing in the exact place he had been. A stray kitten meowed from a cardboard box in the back of the ally. Erza looked around, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. The only footprints in the mud were hers. It was strange.

Erza stepped back to look at her surroundings, surprised at what just happened.

_What did just happen? _

"Erza, what's wrong?" Wendy ran over to where to older mage was staring, dumbfounded at the half-lit alleyway. "Did you see something? I heard you calling someone's name."

Erza paused for a moment, and shook her head, "I think I just need to clear my brain. I don't think I really got any sleep last night." She sighed, and headed back to where Lucy was still arguing with Natsu. Wendy looked back at Erza with a troubled gaze. She knew something was wrong with her older friend.

"Natsu, I told you Erza's fine! … Ma'am I'm so sorry for that he's just a little energetic that's all! No, he does _**not**_ need to go to the hospital! "

Erza was so confused. Was it really her imagination? It had to be. There was so way that could have been Simon. How stupid could you really get? Simon- of all people showing up after seven years in Magnolia town. Yeah right. Then again, Jellal had done the same exact thing, and she had seen him the night before. And there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he was the real thing. Yet, something about Jellal showing up, and her "seeing" Simon was oddly ironic and coincidental. After all, Jellal was the one who killed him…

Oh right.

There was the matter of Jellal, who was still missing in action.

"_**NATSU!" **_Erza said with a strict voice.

The fire dragon slayer suddenly stopped what he was doing and straightened out. Lucy paused and sighed, "Finally Natsu, you've shut up. Can we talk to Erza now?" She turned to her red-headed friend with a concerned look on her face. "What happened to you?"

Erza stammered, "I well….I….Ummm you see…I was simply…"

_Damn it! There's no way I can tell them why I was really out here…If they knew Jellal was around..._

She had no desire to stay out here any longer. If Jellal came here to see fairy Tail, the first place he would show was the guild.

"Come on, I'll explain it all later. Let's get back to the guild." Erza began to walk towards the guilds entrance, making sure they were following her.

"So you didn't get beat up?" Natsu called.

Erza sighed, "No Natsu, I was just out for a…midnight stroll if you will." Wendy and Lucy exchanged each other thoughtful glances. She could tell they were concerned. Erza laughed and turned around "What? I can't go out walking once and a while? I can take care of myself. You three of all people should know that."

Erza opened the door to Fairy Tail and led her friends inside. It was so run down; it made Erza a bit sad. She remembered how the old building use to be so colorful and big…but now it was nothing more than a small, old, tavern. She made a mental note to herself to ask the master if they could do some renovating. The door handle was cracked and loose, and the wooden door creaked as Erza opened it. As always, the guild hall smelled like beer, and the members were talking, drinking and running around. She spotted Gray being stalked by Juvia, who was hiding in the corner, and Nab Lasaro fidgeting in front of the request board.

In many ways the guild had changed, but even after all that had happened, some things just never got old.

"Erza!" Erza turned to where Mira was calling to from behind the bar counter. The Take-over mage smiled and motioned for her to come over. She was holding what looked like a small piece of paper in her right hand.

Erza walked over to the counter and approached Mirajane, hoping she wasn't going to ask where she had been…

"Erza, I found this note on the front of the door when I arrived at the guild this morning. I don't know who it's from, but it looks like you've got a secret admirer!" Mira gave Erza a taunting smile and giggled. Erza knew how much her former rival loved to mess around with stuff like that and play match-maker. She quickly snatched the note from Mira's hand and read it-

"_I won't leave you. _

_Don't worry. _

_I'll be back, _

_When the right time comes. "_

It was obviously from Jellal. Who else could it be from? … ….Simon? No, she had already decided that was her imagination. But damn it, what did it mean? "I'll be back when the right time comes." When's that supposed to be? A few hours or a few years? Honestly, the thought of him leaving her yet again made her head and her heart hurt…

Suddenly, the doors of Fairy Tail opened with a loud creek, and three people stepped inside, the sunlight casting a shadow on them as they stood in the entrance.

It was them.

_**Jellal! **_


	5. Chapter 5 Reunited

Chapter five- Reunited

Jellal, Meredy and Ultear stood in the entrance to Fairy Tail, while the entire guild stared back at them with confused and shocked expressions on their faces. By the looks of it, Erza could tell that some people knew right away who they were, while others had no idea. Everything stood still for about twenty seconds before Mira leaned over the bar counter and whispered into Erza's ear, "Isn't that...Jellal? The fugitive man who went missing? Or is that Segrain…?" Her voice sounded a little concerned. Erza didn't say anything to her former rival, just slowly nodded. In reality, her heart was beating a mile a minute.

"Jellal." Everyone turned towards where master Makarov jumped off his seat on the left end of the bar and walked over to the center of the guild hall to face the three visitors. The small man was surprisingly not alarmed; rather, he was quite calm. Most of the guild however, was shaking in their seats. Jellal was a known criminal, and by now everyone knew who he was. Erza had heard the rumors spread about him…and they made her sick to her stomach.

The master cast a small shadow onto the floor and looked up at the three of them. Jellal gulped and bowed his head, and Ultear and Meredy did the same.

Their eyes shadowed and fists clenched, they stood like statues, the sunlight pouring out from behind them. Makarov nodded and began to speak, the guild behind him mumbling to themselves and shuffling their feet. Erza could sense the cautious and protective emotions coming from her comrades as they eyed the former dark guild and magic council members.

"Jellal, Ultear-"

"Master Makarov!"

Jellal got down on both his knees, and bowed his head, the palms of his hands to the floor. "We have not come here to cause any harm. We only come to seek peace within the guild. We are travelers; we do not stay in one place for too long. For years no one has seen my face- I have been hidden by the sins burdened upon me and the darkness I have surpassed. I am not surprised if you ask me to leave as soon as possible. But, I come here to apologize for the trouble and pain I have caused you and your guild in the past." The blue-haired man shook as he stood before the guild leader, Meredy and Ultear beside him.

Erza stiffened as Makarov squinted and raised an eyebrow at the three intruders.

"I know." He huffed as the old man straightened out his blue and orange hat. "But I don't think you needed to say all that. I know everything that happened with you Jellal, Erza told me your situation a long time ago." The master then said, "As long as your hearts are in the right place, and you are trying to make up for what you've done, I don't see anything wrong with you staying with us. "

Meredy glanced up, surprised, as did Jellal and Ultear. "W-wait a second…I don't think you understand sir…we've just come to apologize, of 'coarse we won't be staying! If the council finds out that we're here, you could get arrested! A-and-" The pink-haired mage waved her arms awkwardly in all different directions, stammering and trying to explain.

_The master wants them…to stay? _

"Meredy." Jellal put his hand on her shoulder, and she glanced up at him. "Calm down."

"I don't think it's such a horrible idea to stay for a while." Said Ultear as she put her hand on her hip. "I know it's our nature not to stay in one place for too long, but…" The ice-make mage glanced at Meredy, who in return looked at Jellal, then back at her friend and smiled.

Erza smiled and looked back at the mysterious note Jellal had left her. She was glad they were going to stick around for a while…but she couldn't help thinking that the idea was a little stupid. They were practically risking their lives even showing up. What exactly did they want from Fairy Tail?

"So are you staying or what?" Makarov folded his arms impatiently.

Jellal paused and then nodded, "Yes, but just for a little while. We have-"

"Jellal, fight me!" An excited Natsu jumped in front of the light mage, his fists flaming and a determined look on his face. "I won't lose to you!"

Jellal took a step back, slightly surprised. "Ah, Natsu…I see you haven't changed at all."

"Come on! I'm all fired up!"

"Um, no thank you…and I think you need to take it down a notch." Jellal scratched the back of his head and smiled weakly.

The rest of the guild started talking again, and most people eyed the three visitors questionably while going back to whatever they were doing. The master nodded to Jellal, Meredy and Ultear before hoping back over to his seat on the bar and leisurely taking a big gulp out of his beer.

"Oi, Pinky! Who the hell do you think you are? He obviously doesn't want to fight, so cut it out!" Meredy confronted Natsu and punched him lightly in the arm, while Jellal stood there awkwardly. "Pinky? You have pink hair too, you shouldn't be taking!" Natsu's fists burst into flames again as he argued with the sensory link mage.

"I see you're doing well, eh?" Erza watched as Gray casually walked over to confront Ultear, who smiled in return. "Ur would be proud." Ultear waved and said, "Yeah." It seemed as though the time arc mage had become more laid back and easygoing after the time skip.

"Why is Gray-sama talking to that mysterious fugitive woman? Does Juvia have another love rival? Juvia must get that woman away from her Gray-sama!" Erza didn't even notice Juvia hiding behind her chair the whole time. The blunette was sweating and swearing as she pointed at Ultear, who was still talking with Gray. She slowly slid out from under the chair and proceeded to hid behind a nearby coat rack to watch them.

"Jellal-kun!" Erza turned in surprise as Mira waved to him from the bar counter. Erza suddenly tensed up, "Mira-san…what do you want from Jellal?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to confront Jellal right away…sure, she was extremely happy to see him, but she still had no idea what to say to him. Erza glanced towards the floor. Jellal looked up and walked towards them, his black boots making a clanking noise on the wooden floor.

The only things Erza could hear were the sound of her loud heartbeat and Jellal slowly coming closer to her.

_C-crap! What am I going to…_

"Erza…"

Erza still had no idea how she was going to deal with him. If Mira and everyone else weren't around her, things would have been different but…

"Erza…why are you shaking?"

Erza slowly looked up to see Jellal standing before her. He smiled warmly, and a small gust of wind that crept in from the open door blew his soft blue hair to one side.

Erza knew that look.

She remembered it like it was yesterday.

_"I'm Jellal. Jellal Fernandes!" A scrawny blue-haired boy held out his hand…_

"Jellal I'm-" Suddenly, she felt him pull her forward and wrap his arms around her. His hand stroked her scarlet hair as he gently pulled her closer. It was sudden, but she relaxed, forgetting Mira was standing right behind them. Erza fought the tears she felt welling up in her eyes.

_No! I mustn't cry! Not while I'm in the guild. It's my job to be strong!_

Jellal released her from their embrace and stood, holding onto to the sides of her arms. He looked back at her with a relieved look on his face. He honestly looked so happy. Erza was a bit startled by the sudden hug, and it took all of her strength to stop the tears from rolling down her face. She thought he had died long ago, but here he was, smiling back at her.

"What? Can't greet an old friend with a hug?"

"It's just I thought that you…and you…." She looked down at the note he had left her- it was all sweaty and crumpled up in her hand now. Erza straightened out, remembering where she was and asked, "Why are you here? " The equip mage had returned to her usual serious self. "You know the council would just about kill to get their hands on you."

Jellal let out a small sigh and replied, "I know. But after hearing that all of you returned I just needed to check it out for myself. And besides, it's been seven years since I've seen you. I'm just glad that I had another chance, to look into your eyes and see you looking back."


	6. Chapter 6 Sea and small talk

_Sorry that this chapter's a little late guys! *sweat drop* I've been kinda busy and haven't gotten around to it! But I hope you enjoy it, despite the fact that it's later than usual. On another note, have you guys seen Jellal and Erza in the recent chapters of the manga? I love that scene where they are talking by the water and Jellal is so happy they can have a normal conversation again. And then they give each other really cute expressions…*melts* And I could see Jellal watching Erza when she beat all those monsters! He was proud! Ok, sorry, now on to the story! _

Chapter six- Sea and Small talk

It had been two weeks since Jellal, Meredy and Ultear had come to stay with the guild. Everything had been going smoothly, for the most part at least. Meredy and Ultear had gotten disguises from Mira, and Jellal was dressing like Mystogan to hide his real identity. The three of them showed up every once and a while at the guild to get something to eat or drink, but for a majority of the time they were off somewhere. No one knew where they were going or why, but most of the guild didn't seem concerned. They were mysterious people after all, and too much socializing could get them into trouble.

Erza on the other hand, was worried.

She still didn't know the_** real**_ reason why they came to Fairy Tail, and the fact that they were almost never around was quite suspicious. Despite the fact that Erza was glad that she got to see Jellal again, she had a feeling that he was getting himself into trouble somewhere else.

The reequip mage sat on the concrete steps leading down to a small boat dock in Hargeon. The area around her was peaceful, and quite. The seagulls squawked and circled the sparkling blue sea spread out before her. Her scarlet red hair blew in the wind as she bit into a piece of the strawberry cake that she had bought from a nearby bakery. It wasn't as good as the cake that she usually buys from the shop near the guild, but it was exceptional. The strawberries were juicy, the cream was sweet, but the cake itself was just a little bitter. The sea air was cool, and felt refreshing in the hot summer.

_That idiot. He better be watching out for himself. I just wish I could get a chance to talk to him again… I would think we would see each other more often now that he's staying at Fairy Tail. But, I guess not. _

"There are so many things I want to ask him…" She removed the cake from her lap and put her hand on her chin as she stared out at the ocean.

"Ask who?"

A startled Erza nearly jumped out of her skin, as she quickly turned around and equipped a sword. The cake went flying as she nearly smashed into Jellal, who had been standing behind her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Erza's eyes widened at the sight of him. Jellal too, looked like he was frozen; as if he didn't think she would react like that.

The blue haired man relaxed and chuckled, "I didn't think anyone would be able to sneak up on the great 'Titania'."

Erza's eyebrow twitched with anger and embarrassment as she sat back down on the concrete steps, straightening herself out. _Come to think of it, I don't think anyone's even snuck up on me before... _

She noticed the cake on the floor and sighed. Jellal gave her an apologetic glace and crouched down to pick up the fallen dessert. He placed it gently back on the plate and sat down beside his slightly annoyed friend.

"Hey, no need to get angry right? I didn't mean to scare you." He said softly as he looked her, but then quickly glanced straight ahead. Erza could see his blue hair and tattoo peeking out from under his disguise.

Erza sighed, "I think you can take off the head gear here. No one's around, it's too hot outside for most people. All the merchants and carts have gone home for lunch."

Jellal glanced at her, slightly surprised. If anything, he would think she would want to keep him as hidden as possible. He was hesitant, but he trusted her. He removed the dark blue bandana and silver forehead protector that hid his hair and eyes. He then took off the green mask that obscured the bottom half of his face and placed it on the concrete step next to him.

"And besides," Erza started, "I like to see who I'm talking to."

Jellal wiped the sweat from his forehead (the mask he had been wearing made it hard for his head to breath) and laughed, "Didn't think it was me?"

Erza shook her head lightly, "No, I knew it was you, but I'd like to see your face for once."

Jellal raised his eyebrows and said, "Well, you've never been wrong before."

Erza was silent for a moment, and then took a deep breath. She had so many things she wanted to talk about with him. She didn't think she'd ever been this curious in her whole life. But, she knew she had to set one thing straight first.

"No. I was wrong."

Jellal lifted his head, "What?"

"I didn't do the right thing. I shouldn't have let them take you away. I was just so scared and didn't know what to do at the time. The guild could have bailed themselves out; the master would have taken care of the situation if we got arrested." Erza paused, "But you…I must have put you through so much pain."

She rested her head on her hand and bit her tongue as she felt tears welling up in her eyes again. Memories of the day he was taken by the council after the Oracion Sies incident flashed through her mind as she spoke. She remembered how Natsu and the rest of the guild fought to take him back, and how she stood there, frozen with conflicted feelings about whether he deserved it. She recalled how Jellal willingly accepted the fact that he would be put to death for his actions, and how he remembered the color of her hair right before they shut the door.

Jellal shook his head, ruffling his already messy blue hair. "No, I needed to go to jail for what I did in the past. It doesn't matter if I was in control of what I did or not, I still made a lot of people suffer. If anyone deserves and apology, it's you." Erza smiled warmly. "Thank you, but I think it's safe to say that we both have made mistakes in the past."

The two of them sat in silence for a few moments, breathing in the sea air and enjoying each other's company. It was nice and relaxing. Erza couldn't remember a time when she felt this much peacefulness, since everyone at the guild was always so loud. That was one of the reasons why she liked Jellal so much. He was easy to talk to, and he wasn't bouncing off the walls, unlike a certain fire mage she knew.

_But Jellal didn't say anything about re-gaining his memory…did it ever return to him? _

Erza was about to say something, but Jellal began speaking again.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm traveling with Ultear and Meredy." Erza then glanced up and nodded, "Yes…how did you three ever find each other?"

Jellal put his hands behind him and leaned back as the sun shone directly on his face. It looked as though he was digging up old memories. It had been seven years, after all.

"Well, after the Oracion Sies incident, I was put on trial. I didn't know anything about what I had done since I lost my memories, so the council took pity on me and through me in jail instead going along with the execution." The light mage closed his eyes and said, "After about a year, Meredy and Ultear came and broke me out. At the time I didn't know who they were, but they explained everything after they rescued me. They introduced themselves and told me that they wanted to form a guild to atone for their sins. I then discovered that Ultear was the one that possessed me, but she apologized and told me what happened at Tenrou Island."

Erza blinked in surprise, _so that's how it happened…_

"So, we formed an independent guild, and called it Crime Sorcière."

"So your "Guild" is just the three of you?" Asked Erza, as she listened to Jellal's story and the waves crashing against the docks below.

The blue haired mage nodded, "Yes, it's just us three. Crime Sorcière is dedicated to wiping out dark guilds across the country. We don't ever want anyone to fall into the darkness like we did. The reason you haven't seen us much lately, is because we've been out on jobs."

Erza smiled. She was glad Jellal had found happiness in a guild, even if it was small. But, she couldn't help but wonder if this "Guild" was keeping him locked up in the past...

"And I'm happy knowing that my voice got through to you when you were on Tenrou Island. I don't know how I did it, but it was like I was able to sense what you we doing, even though you were far away."

Erza nodded and laughed, "If you want to know the truth, I thought I was hallucinating!"

Jellal gave her a soft glance and gently placed his hand on top of hers. "Friendship is a Promise, it is silent and unwritten. It's unbreakable by distance and unchangeable by time. I never gave up hope on you Erza…I knew you were out there. I could feel it."


	7. Chapter 7 Heat Stopper

Chapter seven: Heart stopper

It was a normal day in the Fairy Tail guild hall on a regular Thursday in July. It was still sweltering hot outside, and most of the mages were trying to cool off in any way that they could. Wendy and Lisanna had their feet in small buckets of cold water, Bixslow and Freed had stolen Evergreen's fans, Lucy was wearing even more revealing clothing than usual, and Cana was drinking twice as much. Barley anyone was out on a job and even more people have been staying at home that past few days.

Erza sat at her spot on the bar, casually sipping at a glass of lemonade. Cana was half asleep on her right, and on the seat behind the bar, Mirajane seemed to be sewing something. Erza eyed her curiously, she couldn't exactly tell what she was trying to make. The fabric was small and colorful, and it wasn't something Erza could see the bar maid wearing, at least not in public. She was quite bored actually, and really wanted to go out since there was nothing else to do. Although, she knew Lucy wouldn't want to work in this weather, and truthfully, Erza liked waiting for Jellal to come "Home" every day to the guild after his job. Ever since Jellal had explained everything to her on that day in Hargeon, he seemed more comfortable around her and everyone else. Jellal sure was odd, but wasn't he always? Not to mention reckless... the light mage had come back from a couple of jobs with more than just a few scratches.

The guild was unusually quiet; it was almost too hot to speak. And that's saying something, especially for Fairy Tail. But of course, there was Natsu and Gray, who never seemed to run out of energy or reason to fight no matter what the situation.

"Hey freezy, you wanna go?" Erza sighed as she watched the fire dragon slayer face his rival with a determined stare.

"Shut up flame-brain!" Gray seemed extremely annoyed; the ice mage looked like he was melting in this sweltering weather. Natsu on the other hand, seemed to be even more hyper and fired up than usual. He looked to be the only one who was benefitting from the heat wave.

"I'll kick you into next week!" Natsu clashed his fists together and through a punch at Gray, who dodged, causing the fire mage to trip and topple over.

"Fuckin' salamander! Get off me!"

Any other time Erza would have beaten the crap out of the two of them, but she was seriously not in the mood. She took another sip out of her lemonade, watching as Elfman yelled at Natsu and Gray about how they have to be manlier or something. Typical Elfman conversation.

"Mira, just what the hell are you trying to make? Don't tell me you're actually going to wear all those colors!" Cana, who was another sip of her beer from being completely drunk, suddenly mentioned her nakama's sewing as she rolled her eyes at the barmaid. "Yes... I was thinking the same thing." Said Erza. "Oh, this? It's not for me, it's a shirt I'm making for little Asuka! I saw this cute fabric at the market and thought it would be perfect for her!" The take-over mage smiled and held up her work-in-progress for her two friends to see. The small cloth was clad in bright tie-dye swirls.

_Well... it was... interesting? _

Erza tried to find the right words to describe it. Cana on the other hand, had completely lost her filter. "Geez Mira, you wanna embarrass the girl this early?" The card magician through her arm over Mirajane's shoulder and hiccupped. Mira sighed, "Aw come on Cana! What other time in her life will she be able to wear something like this? I think it's adorable!" Cana snorted and put her head on the bar, nearly knocking over her drink.

Mira happily continued sewing and glanced over at Erza. "What about you?" Erza looked up, surprised. "What do I think? Well, I think Bisca will appreciate it, but it's not something I would put on my own kids." Mira giggled, "Oh, by the way, when are you and Jellal going to have the baby?" Erza suddenly turned bright red and spit out her lemonade. "W-what? Mira, we are n-" Cana lifted her head and yelled very loudly, "You're pregna-!" Erza put her hands over her drunk friends mouth and glared at Mira, who smiled innocently.

_Damn her! _

Cana sputtered and struggled to get out of her friends grasp, but Erza was NOT letting a rumor like that make its way around the guild. She finally let her friend go, and the brown haired mage passed out, half her body sprawled out across the counter. Erza's eyebrow twitched, extremely annoyed. "Mira! What the hell was that?" The reequip mage slammed her fist on the wooden bar top to glare at her former rival. Mira, in return just winked. "I heard about that date you guys went on in Hargeon."

Erza's eyes widened as she thought to herself, _if Jellal had said anything remotely like that to Mira... I am going to kill him!_

"It was not a date! We were just conversing about-"

"Sounds like a date to me!"

Erza scowled and finished her lemonade, noticing how Mira was still eyeing her curiously. "Erza, your face is still red~!" She sang, but Erza continued to ignore the takeover mage. "You know, I remember hearing a story when I was little, about an invisible red thread that connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. According to the story, the thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break. Could it be you and Jellal are connected by that thread?"" Mira chuckled as Erza rolled her eyes. "Honestly Mira, one day you're match-making and teasing is going to go too far and-" Suddenly, Erza's sentence was cut short as the old, creaky doors of the guild were thrown open with a bang. The hazy summer rays light up the guild hall as everyone turned their attention to whoever was coming through.

Erza felt her heart stop as soon as she saw who it was.

Jellal.

Covered in blood.

The light mage was tripping over his own feet, one eye closed as he clutched his right side. Ultear and Meredy were holding him up, their own bodies scarred and bleeding, but not as bad. Their clothes were torn and they both looked exhausted. Jellal on the other hand, really looked like he was on his last legs. A cut on his forehead oozed thick blood, and his entire face was nearly the color of his tattoo. His boots were missing, and dark red stains started to appear on his coat and pants.

"Jellal!" Erza screamed and ran towards him, and the rest of the guild got out of their seats to try and aid their comrades. Mira grabbed her first aid kit and Wendy followed right behind her. Ultear and Meredy dropped their friend, who landed with a thud on the hard floor. The two female mages were panting and struggled to hold themselves up. Behind them, a young black-haired girl peaked out from behind the guild's large doors, and whimpered softly. She wasn't hurt aside from a few scrapes, but she was crying and her hat was missing.

"Asuka!" Bisca ran from her table on the right side of the guild hall to her daughter, fear and relief in her eyes. The green-haired mage pulled the little girl into her arms and picked her up. Askua buried her face into her mother's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her neck.

Erza fell to her knees and pulled Jellal up by the shoulders of his coat.

"Jellal! Get up! What happened to you?" The blue-haired man said nothing, and it looked like he was out cold. His eyes were closed and his moth was in an o-shape.

"Jellal-san!" A wide-eyed Wendy bent down and stared at her big brother figure with tears in her eyes. The sky dragon slayer turned to look at Charle for approval to use her magic before placing her hands on his chest, trying to heal him. Jellal's breathing was soft and shallow, and his skin was pale.

_No…No, this can't be happening! _

Erza's hands were shaking and now covered with a decent amount of blood.

"Mira!" The scarlet-haired mage called to her friend, who was tending to Ultear and Meredy's wounds. "Hand me some binding!" The barmaid nodded and tossed Erza a roll of white medical binding, used for sealing wounds and stopping blood flow.

Wendy nodded to Erza and paused her healing magic, letting Erza remove Jellal's bloodied coat to bind a large gash on her friends arm.

_What could have happened to cause this…Jellal is an extremely powerful mage, who could have inflicted this much damage to him? _

A crowd was starting to form around the injured mages, and gasps came from all sides of the room.

"What happened?"

"Is everyone ok?"

"Should we get help?"

"… …Who did this?"

Ultear slowly lifted her head to look the fire mage in the eye. It seemed she was having trouble speaking. "We…we saw Asuka chase a cat into a dark alleyway…we ran after her, and were attacked…"

Everyone suddenly turned towards Natsu, the Dragon Slayer's face was shadowed and his fists were clenched.

"Whoever did this…**Is going to pay! I'll kill those bastards!" **He suddenlystormed out of theguild, hiseyes flaming. "Come out you cowards! You couldn't have gone far! Anyone who messes with my friends messes with me!" Erza watched as he ran out of sight, and small raindrops began to fall on the ground outside.

_Natsu…_

"Natsu, calm down! Come back!" Lucy yelled and ran after him, splashing through the small puddles that were starting to form. "Get back to the guild Natsu! You don't know how powerful those guys are!"

Erza turned back to Jellal, who was still in critical condition. She took a small towel and began wiping the blood off of his forehead and out of his hair.

_Please be ok…I don't want to lose you again._

* * *

_**Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter…but I honestly hated how this one came out. I'm sorry…But the next one will be better, I promise!**_

_**I also need you guy's to help me out with something…Ok, so I need help with Jellal/Erza kid's names. Possibly for this story, possibly for a future story…I'm not telling! I'm thinking Kino for a boy's name but I have no idea what I would use for girls names…**_

_**Anyway, I would love name suggestions for both genders, so if you could leave a review and a few names, I would really appreciate it! **_

_**Thank you all for reading! 3 **_


	8. Chapter 8 Nightmare

_**DON'T KILL ME DON'T KILL ME OMG SORRY FOR THE SLOW UPDATE DON'T KILL ME PLEASE I WANT TO LIVE**_

* * *

Chapter eight- Nightmare

It had been three days since Crime Sorcière showed up bloodied and exhausted at the doors of Fairy tail. The guild was a little shaken after what had happened, and the mysterious enemy was still unidentified and apparently still on the loose. I had been raining, ironically ever since that day, non-stop. At least the heat was gone. During the three day span, Jellal's unknown attacker was not spotted, and Erza had been searching nonstop for whoever did it. Lucy had brought Natsu back to the guild, but the fire mage was still furious about the situation, as was the rest of Fairy Tail.

Bringing Jellal, Ultear and Meredy to a hospital would be risking their exposure, so the three of them had been staying at Wendy's house, until Ultear and Meredy were well enough to go back to the Fairy Tail dorms. The two Crime Sorcière mages were still beat up, but were well enough to walk around and do things on their own. Ultear had her arm in a sling and bandages on her legs, and Meredy had scars on her face and binding on her arms. They wouldn't be going on jobs for a while.

Jellal on the other hand, was a completely different story. The blue-haired mage hadn't woken up since the incident, and according to Wendy he was having restless sleep. He had broken his right leg and had cuts and bruises all over his body. Erza had come to visit him every day, leaving flowers at his bedside and trying to help Wendy in any way that she could. Although, in reality, she felt useless. Wendy said that no matter how much casts and bandages he had on his body, Jellal's chances of getting better relied on her healing powers for the most part. His life was in her hands, or so, that's what she thought.

Erza stood in front of Fairy hills apartment room 3b with a bouquet of roses in one hand, and a small package in the other. She was wearing her usual white blouse and blue skirt, accompanied by high-heeled black boots and a raincoat. The reequip mage sighed, quietly praying that maybe today he would wake up. Maybe today he would open his eyes.

"Wendy!"

_Damn it, I can't knock on the door with my hands full…_

A young girl with long, dark blue hair opened the door, still in her pajamas. She rubbed one eye sleepily and yawned, "Good morning Erza…Ummm, why are you here so early?"

_Wait, what time is it?_

It was almost a natural reflex now to go visit Jellal every morning before she went to the guild, but today it seemed that she woke up a little too early.

"Oh, Wendy! I'm sorry, I'll just come back la-"

"Hey! What do you think you're doing, coming here so early? Do you know what time it is? Six am!" Charle appeared behind Wendy with an annoyed look on her face. The exceed flew up to sit on Wendy's shoulder, arms crossed.

Wendy, seeing Charle was not in a good mood, pulled her aside to have a talk in the hallway. Erza awkwardly stood in front of the door to Wendy's apartment, trying hard not to eve's drop on the two of them. It was hard though, since it was clear Charle was no different than most Fairy hill's girls in the morning- Loud and bitchy.

"Do you realize waking up this early is bad for your health?"

"W-well she just wants to see Jellal, I'm sure she won't be any trouble."

Charle sighed and face-pawed. "Fine, Wendy you can go back to sleep while Erza visits with her boyfriend or whatever."

"H-he's not my boyfriend!" Erza slightly blushed at Charles comment. The exceed then huffed and began walking towards the stairs. "I'm going out to get breakfast!"

* * *

Erza walked over from the living room and pulled a chair from the wooden kitchen table to sit beside Jellal, who had been sleeping on Wendy's bed. Wendy was now sleeping on the couch. The heavy rain thumped on the window nearby, and a gust of wind made the whole house shake. Erza didn't mind the rain, but she wasn't particularly fond of it either. She preferred the days where she could go outside and enjoy the sunshine, and in all honesty, she hated being shut in anywhere. Maybe it was due to spending so much time in the tower when she was younger. Or maybe she just had a low tolerance for things. Or both, possibly.

She sighed softly and ran her fingers through Jellal's dirty blue hair, trying to get out the debris. He hadn't washed it since the incident, and it was still covered with dirt and dry blood.

"Wendy do y-"

_Oh, right, she went back to sleep. _

Erza got up out of the chair and walked quietly to the kitchen, grabbing a towel from the counter and turning on the sink. She soaked the towel and rung the water out before sitting back down and attempting to wash her friends hair.

"You really need to take a shower..." She mumbled as she wiped the towel through the blue tangles that was Jellals hair.

"S-si..."

Jellal's face suddenly tightened and it looked as if he were in pain. A sweat drop ran down his forehead and his hands shook.

Erza suddenly froze for a second when she heard him speak. She then took the towel away and sighed, grabbing his hand and squeezing it lightly. "Restless sleep again, huh?"

* * *

_"Grandpa! Grandpa please wake up!" A little red headed girl wit__h an eye patch shook a skinny, sleeping old man, half-yelling-half whispering into his ear. Her eyes were clouded with worry as she attempted to wake her adopted grandfather. The waves crashed against the wall of the tower outside, and the wind howled like a starving wolf rattling the barred windows. A few lightning strikes could be seen in the distance. The hard floor was cold, and everyone in the cell was doing their best to fall asleep. "Grandpa! Jellal...he's having a nightmare!" Erza's voice shook as Grandpa Rob cracked open a sleepy eye. "A nightmare, eh?" Erza nodded, "We were sleeping by the window like we always do, when suddenly he starting shaking and crying in his sleep! It woke me up and I tried to wake him up too but nothings working!" She whispered, noticing a sleeping Simon not too far away starting to stir. "I know what to do Erza, come." The old man stood up and stretched before taking his adopted granddaughters hand and walking towards their troubled friend. The two of them sat beside the blunette, he was sweating and his expression was tight. He whimpered softly. "What'll we do?"_

_"Well, There's an old lullaby I remember my mother singing to my younger brother when he was little, who always had restless sleep. It worked like a charm!" He chuckled. "How does it go?" Asked Erza, staring up at him. "Well," The old man started, "First you take their hand..." Erza took Jellal's shaking hand in hers, and squeezed it lightly. _

_"And then what?" _

_"You sing, Ame ga furu_

_Shizukana Lullaby utau awai yokogao_

_Toji komerareta chiisana heya wa_

_Ai to yoberu kiga shiteiru." _

_("The rain is falling down._

_While you sing a quiet lullaby, I catch a fleeting glimpse of your face. _

_I'm trapped in a small room, but I love you, my spirit calls out to you.")_

_Erza took a deep breath, holding his hand and whisper-sang, "Ame ga furu_

_Shizukana Lullaby utau awai yokogao_

_Toji komerareta chiisana heya wa_

_Ai to yoberu kiga shiteiru." _

_("The rain is falling down._

_While you sing a quiet lullaby, I catch a fleeting glimpse of your face. _

_I'm trapped in a small room, but I love you, my spirit calls out to you.") _

_Jellal's hand suddenly relaxed a bit, and Grandpa Rob cracked a toothless smile. He continued to sing, _

_"Kotoba mo iranakute_

_Omoide ga yawaraide_

_Yasuragi nante shiranai kedo_

_Ichiban sokoni chikai bashode nemuritai dake_

_Anata no sobani iru"_

_("Words are needless, lost memories are softened peacefully, but its strange..._

_I can't forget that place where I only just slept._

_Close beside you.")_

_Erza nodded and repeated, "Kotoba mo iranakute_

_Omoide ga yawaraide_

_Yasuragi nante shiranai kedo_

_Ichiban sokoni chikai bashode nemuritai dake_

_Anata no sobani iru"_

_("Words are needless, lost memories are softened peacefully, but it's strange..._

_I can't forget that place where I only just slept._

_Close beside you.")_

_Jellal whimpered again, but stopped shaking. His breathing had slowed down back to normal too. _

_"Let's sing the last part together, ok?" _

_Erza nodded, "Ok!" She was happy it was starting to work._

_The two of them began, _

_"Ame ga furu_

_Shizukana Lullaby Sotto yoru wo uzumete_

_Kanashii kotowa shiritakunaino_

_Dakara zutto utatteite_

_Yoakega kurumade_

_Zutto kono mama."_

_("The rain is falling down._

_I sing a soft lullaby._

_In the gentle night I bury my face in my hands._

_I don't want to know sadness, so I let the singing stay as _

_it is,_

_As it is until dawn.")_

* * *

Erza finished singing and felt Jellal's hand relax, and his face loosen. The song was peaceful, and grandpa had been right, it did work like a charm. Erza took the towel and wiped the last of the sweat off his face. "The last time you had a nightmare...boy, me and gramps had to sing and hold your hand all night until the storm stopped. You woke up early the next day and didn't know what happened!" She laughed softly, letting go of his hand and brushing his dusty hair out of his eyes. He was sleeping peacefully now. "I guess it's natural to have a scary dream once in a while, I do too. Or...other times maybe a scary reality. We've been through a lot though, haven't we?" Erza paused to look outside the window. The rain had stopped. "Sometimes when I close my eyes I pretend I'm alright, but it's never enough. The past seems to always come back to haunt me. But seeing you're back…maybe it's not such a bad thing." She laughed, hoping that maybe he could hear her. And sure enough, a small smile spread out across Jellal's sleepy face.

_I have to remember to give Wendy the lyrics incase this happens again. I wouldn't want him to suffer while he's supposed to be resting. _

She paused, and thought for a second.

_I woke up really early today…maybe I should get some sleep too._

Erza quietly crept around to the other side of Wendy's bed, and climbed under the covers next to Jellal. She made sure there was a space between them, so it wouldn't be_** too**_ awkward.

_What if he wakes up and sees me here? He'll probably freak out for a second…But what if he has another nightmare? _

Erza took Jellal's hand just in case and curled up next to him, thinking,

_Even though it's been seven years, it's not all that different, is it? I still have to watch out for you, and you're still getting yourself into trouble. Funny, isn't it?_

* * *

_**Oh gosh guys I am so sorry for the extremely slow update. I know how it feels to wait forever for a fic to update. It sucks, I know. That'll never happen again, I promise! **_

_**On another note, this story will be coming to an end soon, and I need to know what you guys want to read next. Should I do a Fairy tail high school AU, a domestic Jerza one-shot or something else? ARG I don't know. **_

_**If you guys are wondering about the lullaby, it's called "Althea" it's a Japanese song sung to put children to sleep at night. I thought it was beautiful and fit Erza/Jellal perfectly. **_

_**Also, thanks so much for the names for the Jerza kids, I got It all planned out now ;P**_

_**I'll be updating again sometime in the next two weeks, so look out. Sorry again for the slow update…sorry! Well, it's about 1:00 am over here so time to get some sleep. GOODNIGHT! 3 **_

_**Please read and review! Thank you! **_


	9. Chapter 9 Heaven

Chapter Nine: Heaven

_A scream._

_A flash._

_A pair of glowing, yellow eyes._

_A spatter of blood._

_And then it all went black._

* * *

Jellal opened his eyes for the first time, it what felt like months. His eyesight was blurry, and the world around him seemed to shake back and forth with every blink. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, clearing up his sight before taking a deep breath. "Where the hell am I?"

The blunette's clothes were clean, and his wounds were healed, but in all honesty Jellal had no idea where he was. The room- or at least, he thought it was a room, was white. Nothing but pure white, for as far has his eyes could see. The floor…it didn't even feel like there was anything under his feet. Was there a door? It didn't look like it. The air was cool and refreshing, and a few wispy clouds floated by.

The light mage slowly stood up, thoroughly confused and a bit fascinated. He scratched his head and looked around, searching for any signs of civilization. At times Jellal wished he could go away to a place that was this quiet and peaceful, but now he was scared. His body felt as light as a feather. His body…wait.

Jellal lifted his hands and looked down at them. They were nearly transparent, but the color of his skin and clothes could be seen. "What…what the heck is this?" He mumbled, trying to think what in the world could have happened.

_The last thing I remember is trying to save Asuka from that creep. Maybe whatever attacked us sent us to a different dimension somehow. Could I be in Edolas? I remember Wendy saying that when the anima from Edolas opened up she was transported to a white world…is this it? Is Edolas using the anima again? No, my counterpart is a king, and I would never do such a thing. Or are they possibly in trouble and trying to get in contact with earthland? _

Jellal shook his head and took a deep breath.

_Or it could all be merely a dream, an illusion. I'm probably hallucinating from all the blood loss, yes, that's right. I must be hallucinating, imagining this all. _He laughed as he stared up at the ceiling- no, the **sky** was above him, there was no roof to this "room".

_No…this is too real. _

Suddenly, he heard footsteps.

Jellal nearly jumped out of his skin as he whirled around to see someone walking towards him, shrouded in a heavy mist. The place had been so quiet before that you could hear a pin drop, and the unknown person's footsteps sounded like a bomb going off.

_So I'm not the only one here….wait, there's no telling who this could be_. Jellal took a step back, and braced himself if the unknown man were to attack. This could be the person that hurt him, Ultear and Meredy. But…something wasn't right. Something was _very_ _wrong_. In fact, it was hard for Jellal himself to believe. But it seemed- no, it felt as if there was no magic power inside of him. Nothing, as if he were a floating shell.

_It's not possible! There's no way! Once you learn magic…you can never take it back, ever! Magic is something that lives in you, once you die, it goes too! _

Jellal stopped in mid thought as the realization was made. His pupils dilated and it felt as if his heart paused as he whispered to himself, "That's it…I-I'm…dead…" The light mage looked down at his shaking hands. _No way… I knew I blacked out but…_

"Hello, _Jellal."_

Jellal suddenly jerked his head up when he a voice, echoing in his ears- it was the unknown man.

The mysterious figure was a very massive, tall and muscular young man, with large arms and thin legs. His hair was dark, and had bangs curving outwards on the front, framing and partially covering the upper part of his face. He had dark eyes and a wide, rectangular face, with a flat nose. His left eye was covered with a dark eye patch, and a thin scar underneath it went down diagonally on his cheek. His massive jaw was obscured by an armored metal plate, bearing lines of studs on its upper edges and teeth-like ornaments, making it somehow similar to a skeletal jaw. The top of his head was covered in a light cloth wrapped around it, tied in the back, resembling a turban.

Jellal clenched his fists as sweat dripped down the side of his face. _This man…this aura…it's strange._

"How do you know me?!" He demanded, his eyes wide. "Where is Ultear and Meredy?!"

The man had but a clam expression, despite the fact that Jellal looked quite frightened. He slowly took a few steps closer.

Jellal's head was starting to pound, as the man was just a few feet away. _The feeling I'm getting from this guy is making my hair stand on end! _

"Ultear and Meredy are fine." The mystery man replied.

"What is this place?! Who are you?!"

_Wait…this stranger knows my name. And apparently I'm dead, so maybe…_

"Are you God?"

The man chuckled, "This place? I'm not really sure myself actually. God? Really Jellal, do I look like a god to you?"

Jellal was silent.

"So I see…you don't remember. Maybe that's why you're here." The man rubbed then end of the metal plate on his chin.

"And my name? It's Simon."

_It's Simon._

_Simon. _

That name…it triggered something.

Suddenly, it all started coming back to him.

Everything he'd ever forgotten.

All of the things he ever did.

It was like an enormous amount of information was being rushed into him, as Jellal stood frozen. He tried to process the thoughts, words, and experiences that rapidly began flowing into his brain, but it was as if he was absorbed in it- His past, his memories….

* * *

_"Erza... Freedom is not a thing that exists in this world!"_

"_What are you doing? Why didn't you escape, Simon wake up!" _

_"This is my sin for giving in to my own weaknesses. My heart just couldn't keep up with the gigantic gap between dreams and reality." _

_"It's your words that gave me courage. It became my light that would guide me towards the right path again."_

_"The only thing we can do now…is fight!" _

"_Shut up you jerk! It was you! You're the one that made Erza cry!" _

"_You're never going to find freedom! There's no freedom for a guy who's tied down by some stupid ghost!" _

_**All from that one name.**_

_**Simon.**_

_**My best friend.**_

_**The man I killed with my own hands.**_

_**The man who died, protecting Erza**_

_**From the vicious, unforgivable monster**_

_**That is me.**_

* * *

Hey guys! Sorry if this chapter seemed a little short, but I really needed to end it here. The next one will be longer, and possibly the final. If not, then there will be one more, but that's it.

The truth is, I've kind of been winging the whole thing since like, chapter three. I knew what that outcome was going to be, but I didn't know _**how**_ exactly. But now I know!

OH and apparently I have a fangirl…? Someone actually changed their name to The-pasta-alchenist-fan 0_o OH MY GOSH I LOVE YOU Uhhh wow thanks c:

OK after this story, what do you guys want to see in terms of Fairy Tail?

-More Jerza

-Gale one shot

-Nalu AU

And in terms of other fandoms?

-Hetalia (Most likely UsUk or GerIta)

-Ano Hana (Jintan/Anaru, Yukiatsu/Tsuruko)

-Naruto (Sasusaku, Narusaku, Naruhina)

Thanks! If you guys have any other suggestions, you can leave it in a review or PM me

(I kind of have no idea what to do next 0_o )

If anyone is interested in reading more Jerza from me, s/8375418/1/Sky_and_Strawberries

Thanks so much! 3


	10. Chapter 10- Your words, my light

Chapter 10:

Jellal stood, shaking, tears pouring down his face. He remembered it all. Everything he'd ever done, all his memories…everything was back in his head. And it was terrifying. His heart was beating a mile a minute, and it felt as if something had hit him hard in the throat. His knees were shaky, and his eyes were wide. He was almost unable to breathe, let alone make words.

"How…could I have done all that…Why…"

Jellal looked down at his shaking hands. These were the hands that infiltrated the magic council, forced children into slavery, attempted to awaken the greatest dark mage in history, killed Simon and tried to use Erza as a sacrifice. These were the hands that ruined so many people's lives.

It felt as if his brain was going to burst out of his head.

Simon's calm and collected expression turned to that of sorrow and pity. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, before begging to speak. "Jel-"

"Shut up!" Jellal demanded, his voice echoing. The light mage was clearly still emotionally unstable from the recent, massive memory gain. He looked down, his face shadowed.

"Why haven't you killed me? Why hasn't anyone tried to hurt me? I'm horrible! I'm a monster! I…I killed you!"

Tears continued to pour down Jellal's face as he fell to his knees.

"You're here to take me to hell, aren't you?" Jellal's voice shook, as he faced towards the ground.

"No! That is not what I came here for."

The blue-haired man looked up, slightly surprised. His voice was shaky and confused. "Then why? Why am I here?"

"I always loved Erza." Said Simon quickly as he clenched his fists. Jellal looked up at his friend as he spoke. With his memories back, he was able to remember how Simon confessed his love for Erza right before he died.

Simon took a deep breath before looking back at Jellal. "That's why I died for her, so she could be the one to live out her life to the fullest. I was nothing special compared to Erza. But…even so I still loved her. The way she smiled and kept hope even when we all thought we were going to die back then…I couldn't help it, even if it was obvious that she was falling for you. To love someone is to want to best for them, to wish for their happiness. That's why you need to be there for her, always, so she can keep smiling. That's why you need to go back, Jellal."

Jellal stared back at him, nearly breathless. "To go….back…"

Simon nodded. "Stay with her, forever. She needs you Jellal, just as much as you need her."

The turbaned man suddenly started to disappear, his body slowly beginning to fade away into the clouds. A small smile peaked out from under then metal plate that covered the lower part of his face. "That is my last wish Jellal, I'm counting on you to keep it. It's another reason why I came here, I still had one more regret. I couldn't continue to protect her….but you…you've always managed to come back to her, right? So promise me…Jellal…that you will keep my promise."

* * *

Suddenly, Jellal felt himself back in his own body. He felt covers over him, a bed beneath him, and bandages all over. He squinted and slowly opened his gold-green eyes, blinking up at the creamy, popcorn style ceiling. "I'm back…" Jellal whispered, although he was not exactly sure where he was. His face felt sticky and lightly wet, as if the tears he shed in the 'white world' were real. _Were they? _

Jellal's unharmed and unbroken body was no more, everything hurt- from his head to his feet. One of his legs cringed with numbness. _I guess I really got beat up back there..._

Jellal turned his head to the side, to examine where exactly he was. The apartment he was in was clad in pastel yellows and blues, and looked like it had about two or three rooms. Across from him was a couch and coffee table, and to his right was the kitchen.

Jellal relaxed as he recognized Wendy's house. He had gone here once before to pick up some food that she made to bring down to the guild.

_She must have been taking care of me…Wendy…_

Suddenly, he felt something squeeze his hand. _What the…?_

Jellal slowly turned his head to the right, only to see Erza, curled up next to him and clutching his taped up fingers, holding them on her heart. She sneezed lightly in her sleep, and bent her head towards her chest, as if to cradle his hand. Her long, scarlet hair draped over the blanket and reflected the sun coming through the window.

Jellal blinked in surprise, as he was not expecting her to be here. _Erza… you've been taking care of me too, haven't you? _The light mage smiled softly and gazed at her with his gold-green eyes. _Everyone says that Erza's always scary, and that's true…to an extent. But, she__** is**__ cute when she's sleeping._

Erza, almost as if she was hearing his thoughts, mumbled something under her breath. Jellal couldn't help but chuckle a little bit. _Sleep taking? That's a new one! _

"D….d….don't leave me…Jellal…"

Erza mumbled quietly, causing Jellal to have to strain his ears, just to listen.

"I-I…. really need you in my… life. Don't ever think… for a second that I don't need you…"

Jellal squeezed Erza's hand back.

"_I've gotten all my memories back…I realized the truth about all the horrible things that I've done…and not a moment ago, I felt as if I deserved to leave this world, to leave you. But even if I can never fully repent for my sins, even if I can never take back what I did, I still have to live. For your sake, at least. Erza… isn't it strange? Like Simon said, I've always managed to come back to you. No matter how many times we were separated, I always ended up by your side somehow. _

_Funny, huh? How destiny works? What would have happened if we didn't meet? It scares me, to think like that. In all honesty, I don't think I'd be alive."_

Jellal barley whispered the words, so maybe,_** maybe**_ she'd hear.

Just maybe.

* * *

"Myself and Fairy Tail as a whole thank you for you service here, even if it was only for a short time."

Master Mokarov, along with the majority of the guild, stood outside Fary tail's tavern, as they said goodbye to their guests- Crime Sorcire. A week had passed since Jellal had woken up from his coma-like state. The light mage had a bit of trouble healing, and according to Wendy it was a miracle that he even survived. The small, independent guild had decided that they have better be moving on to the next town, where a small group of bandits had been stealing magical items from passing travelers. The guild didn't want to see them go, but knew it was only a matter of time before they had to leave. Even the ones who had been suspicious of them in the beginning, were saddened by their leaving.

Ultear whacked Gray on the back affectionately, "Take care of yourself ok? And for the love of God, please just go out with that Juvia girl already! You realize she's been stalking you nonstop for the past three weeks?" Ultear raised her eyebrow at the ice mage. Gray, in return, turned away and mumbled something under his breath, while Juvia happily came up to him. "Gray-sama! Did you hear what that woman said? Let's make it official!"

As everyone was saying their goodbyes, Jellal's mind wandered. Erza hadn't showed up yet, and it was starting to bother him. In fact, the blue-haired mad was beginning to get a little worried.

_What if she doesn't come? _

Jellal moved his hand around in the inside of his pocket, fumbling around with a small box nervously. He'd never done anything like his before…it was quite frightening. He felt a drop of sweat glide down the side of his face, and his eyes shifted to the floor.

"Sorry I'm late!"

Jellal looked up to see Erza coming out from behind the back of the tavern. He scarlet hair trailed behind her as she ran towards her guild members who were saying their last farewells to Crime Sorciere.

He breathed a sigh of relief. _Finally… _

Jellal watched as Erza shook Ultears hand and gave Meredy a friendly hug before starting to make her way to him. The scarlet mage's pace slowed as she get closer and closer to the blunette.

She looked up at him with her big brown eyes, and smiled.

"So I guess this is it?"

Jellal looked back at her, "Yeah…it is."

The light mages heart sunk. It hurt him so much that he had to leave her again.

"Thank you Erza, for everything."

_No….I can't do this. Not now. _

"We'll be back sure enough in a few months or so." Meredy bounced over to stand beside Jellal, Ultear not far behind. "Bye bye!" The pink-haired mage winked and took Ultears hand, running off towards the road that would lead them to the next town.

"W-wahhhhh…!" Ultear let out a surprised gasp before going along with her team mate, only glancing back to give Jellal a quick nod.

The blue-haired mage sighed, "There they go again." The guild chuckled, giving Jellal a warm and friendly smile, a rare sight for him.

_Maybe….maybe someday, Fairy tail will be my family too. _

He gave one last look at her, his beautiful scarlet princess, before stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking away.

"Wait. Jellal."

Jellal felt something tugging on the back of his coat. He looked over his shoulder, to see Erza, her face shadowed, clutching the hem of his jacket.

"Erza…" Jellal's face softened as he turned around, taking her hands away from the jacket and gently taking them is his.

The equip mage's lip was quivering, and Jellal could tell it took everything in her to keep from crying. She still wasn't looking at him.

"Don't leave me! Who do you think you are, always leaving?" Erza's voice was desperate and cracking. She squeezed his hand and looked up at him, a single tear gliding down from her right eye.

"Erza…you know I have to…" Jellal looked at her guiltily, feeling a lump starting to for in his throat. Of all the times they had been separated, this one was the hardest. This one wasn't forced, or tricked or painful. It was somehow bittersweet, and chosen. But it had to be done. This time they would be parting, both in their right minds, and both in their right hearts.

"I'm sorry…I know this is your job now, but…I'll miss you…" Erza replied, suddenly feeling guilty for trying to make him stay. It was selfish, trying to take him away from his atonement.

"I know, I'll miss you too. But I'm sure, no matter what comes my way, I'll keep my promise." The blue-haired mage smiled, taking a strand of red hair and putting it behind her ear.

"Huh?" Erza lightly blushed, a confused look on her face.

"That promise we made when we were kids, I said that one day we'll be free together. When we've destroyed all the dark guilds, I'll come back to you, just like I always have. And…" Jellal watched as Erza's eyes widened, as if she was now recalling that day. Jellal then proceeded to shuffle around in the inside of his pocket, taking out a small blue box. From the look on her face, Jellal could see that Erza knew what was inside.

"Jellal…" The equip mage put her hands over her mouth, tears gliding down her face. It was rare to see the "Titania' like this, but with Jellal, it's like all her emotions are set free.

"We've been through so much, you and me. I couldn't imagine what my life would be like if you weren't there for me all lost times I'd nearly lost it. Before, I felt as if I didn't deserve you, but someone told me I had to let go of the past, and grab the future in front of me. It was you, Erza, your words have always been my light. When you were gone…when I was lonely…I would remember your kind words and smile…It helped me to grow stronger. It helped me to keep moving forward. And after all that's happened, I still have to keep it. That promise, I remembered how your eyes lit up when I told you that we'd be together, free someday. Erza…You taught me how important life is. I know the day I made that promise is far from over, but even so, when everything is finished, Erza Scarlet, will you marry me?"

* * *

Thanks everyone SO MUCH for reading a reviewing. This was my first fanfic in about two years, so I hope I did ok.

Now that the story is finished, It would mean a lot if you could critique the whole thing? Idk, i'm just so paranoid that it was OOC, and sometimes it's hard to tell, ya know?

AND I KOW IT TOOK 2+ MONTHS FOR ME TO UPDATE I A SORRY BLAME SCHOOL AND WRITERS BLOCK

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed! Hopefully some more Jerza coming in the future, although I think i'll just stick to one-shots for a while.

Thanks again! xoxo-TPH


End file.
